Takuo Sugano Oral History
Takuo
Sugano became interested in science as a child, and
entered the University of Tokyo in 1950 for a
BS in electrical engineering. He was
inspired by the recent invention of the transistor
to spend his career studying
semiconductors. Among other things, his
research has included germanium bipolar
transistors, electron transport through the
surface inversion layer (the channel of the MOS
transistor), silicon dioxide films, silicon
oxidization, etc. He has co-edited a book,
Competitive Edge: Semiconductor Industry in
the US and Japan, intended to keep
commercial competition from turning into
national rivalry. He spent most his career as
a professor at the University of Tokyo, and
since his mandatory requirement at age 60 has
split his time between Tokyo University and the
government-sponsored Institute of Physical and
Chemical Research. He has received the
Purple Ribbon Prize from the Japanese government for
his contributions to solid-state
electronics. He has been active in the IEEE
since a student, has been involved in such
IEEE conferences as the VLS1 Technology
Symposium and the IEEE Electron Devices Society, and
has been involved as an Associate Editor of
the IEEE Transactions of Electron Devices in
trying to turn manuscripts by Japanese scientists
into acceptable English. He notes a very
heavy orientation by Japanese scientists to
reading English-language journals and producing
English-language papers. He also notes,
favorably, IEEE’s recent efforts to
expand its scope to bioscience, biotechnology,
neurocomputing, etc.
Table of Contents
|
1
|
Interested in science,
physics, from early on. BS at
University of Tokyo in electrical
engineering. Entered
University in 1950, 2 years after
discovery of transistor.
Decided to specialize in
semi-conductors.
|
|
2
|
Applied to become student
member of IEEE to get English-language
publications, not otherwise available in
Japan. Published first
paper in Proceedings of IEEE.
|
|
3
|
Japanese value IEEE for
technical information in IEEE
publications, chance to be
in contact with foreign scientists and
engineers. Less interested in
regional, Japan-centered
activities than in foreign contacts.
|
|
4
|
PhD research on germanium
bipolar transistors. Asst. Prof at
University of Tokyo starting 1959.
Visiting research associate
at Stanford for one year, three years
later.
|
|
5
|
Back to University of Tokyo,
now researching the physics of
semiconductors. 1960 invention of
MOS transistors gets him
interested in electron transport through
the surface inversion layer,
the channel of the MOS transistor.
Also studying silicon
dioxide films, silicon oxidization,
other highly technical
topics.
|
|
6
|
IEEE conferences:
participated in the International
Solid-States Circuits
Conference early on. Later, helped
organize VLS1 Technology
Symposium. Now chairing Japanese
Symposium Committee.
Deeply involved in IEEE Electron Devices
Society, and Associate
Editor of IEEE Transactions of Electron
Devices.
|
|
7
|
Publication: co-editor of
Competitive Edge:
Semiconductor Industry in the US and
Japan. Trying to
keep commercial competition from turning
into national rivalry.
|
|
8
|
As associate editor: helping
get manuscripts by Japanese scientists
into legible English. Most of his
own publications are in
English. 99% of Japanese
scientists are publishing in
English.
|
|
9
|
Retired from University of
Tokyo at age 60, by requirement.
Too young to retire, so working at Toyo
University since. Also
at government-sponsored research
institute, Institute of
Physical and Chemical Research.
|
|
10
|
Purple Ribbon Prize from
Japanese government for contributions to
solid-state electronics.
|
|
11
|
Japanese professional
societies--Japan Society of Applied
Physics, Institute of
Electronics, Information and
Communication
Engineers--have cooperate relationships
with IEEE.
|
|
12
|
Impressed by IEEE efforts to
expand scope to bioscience,
biotechnology, neurocomputing, etc.
|
